Archive for the ‘Tree and Shrub Care’ Category

Air Spade Applications

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

How can this new tool be applied on your property?

1) Vertical Mulching & Trenching
This is performed by air-boring holes in a grid pattern beneath the canopy of a tree. The holes are typically filled with soil amendments and/ or a slow release, organic fertilizer to help improve soil structure and hold moisture for the root system. Vertical mulching can be very beneficial to a tree’s  root system and is used quite often to strenghten stressed or declining trees. Where severe soil compaction or fill is present, the tool can be used to cut horizontal trenches in the soil for even greater soil modification.

2) Root Collar Excavation
This is performed to remove excess soil from the top of root flares and around the trunks of trees. Trees are commonly planted too deep or have excess soil covering the root flares resulting in decline, girdling root formation, root rot and even tree death. During this procedure, Seascape Technicians blow excess soil from around the root collar and then evaluate the structure of the root system to determine the appropriate corrective measures needed to enhance root development or repair damage to the tree trunk itself.

3) Root System Identification
No longer do we have to guess where roots extend beneath trees. With this new tool we can now actually trace roots out from the base of a tree. Locating these roots provides us with the necessary information to make the appropriate decisions when considering where to place buildings, curbs, driveways or underground utilities to minimize root damage.

Although they are not the answer to every problem, the Air Spade   provides Seascape  with new options to significantly enhance the health and vitality of your landscape. Contact your Seascape Arborist for further information on how these tools can benefit your trees and shrubs.

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Air Spade

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

Air Spade - Cutting Edge Tree Care

Technological advances are continuously making their mark within the tree care industry. One of the newest trends is the use of the Air Spade.  Originally, these tools were developed as a means to excavate unexploded landmines by the military and to help free miners trapped by cave-ins. These tools utilize a focused, high pressure stream of air which allows for soil to be excavated without damage to structures in the surrounding soil. The Air Spade allows Seascape to perform soil work safely, efficiently and without damage to buried roots, underground wires  or irrigation systems. These new tools have eliminated the use of heavy mechanical drills to breakthrough compacted soils and the need to excavate soil by hand from around root collars or buried utilities.

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Tree and Shrub Fertilization

Wednesday, September 5th, 2007

Deep Root Fertilization

Most people think about fertilizing their plants, but not their trees or shrubs. The thought that trees and shrubs grow in the forest without fertilizer is not quite correct. In forests or wooded areas, leaves fall and as they decay, they provide the needed nutrients for trees and shrubs; and because this process has been happening for years in nature, the soil is rich with nutrients and not compacted. In most urban settings, leaves and grass clippings are removed from the property, thus removing potential nutrients. Also, trees are often planted in “red clay” to begin with, which is very hard and compacted.Fertilizing trees and shrubs attempts to regain the lost natural cycle. With topical fertilizer applications much of the fertilizer is absorbed by grass and other plants, significantly reducing the amount that reaches the roots of the trees. Deep Root Fertilization involves injecting a liquid fertilizer into the root zone of the tree or shrub, providing both fertilization and aeration. The materials are injected into the root zone under pressure.Soil injection sites are placed about 2 or 3 feet apart in a grid pattern throughout the canopy. With a special motorized, high pressure pump, the liquid fertilizer is forced into the ground. A special probe is inserted into the ground and liquid fertilizer is injected into the soil. The fertilizer is spread throughout the top inches of the soil, where most of the nutrient-absorbing roots are located.Deep root fertilization provides a way for trees and shrubs to absorb and distribute these nutrients throughout the plant systemically, meaning that the nutrients are absorbed through the roots and distributed throughout the whole tree or shrub from the inside, versus a topical application. This ensures nutrients go throughout the whole tree.

The best time to fertilize is before there is any noticeable decline in trees and shrubs. Healthy plants benefit from fertilization in the fall and even into dormancy.

Seascape Tree and Shrub Care offers a variety of fertilization services delivered by skilled staff who will help identify and suggest services according to your specific needs.

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